Pleasantville Development Had Complied With Village’s Master Plan
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On Nov. 16, the Village of Pleasantville will hold a public meeting on development in the village. Some residents have expressed concern regarding mixed-use residential development in the Central Business District (CBD), specifically the apartment building under construction next to the post office and proposed development that would incorporate the empty storefront formerly used by Chase Bank.
I’ve lived in Pleasantville for over 40 years. At that time, The New York Times compared Pleasantville to an “old shoe,” worn and dated, but still comfortable. Except for Vinny’s Pizzeria, dining options were slim pickings. There was no farmers market. The former movie theater space, where the Jacob Burns Film Center currently stands, was gutted and converted into office space. While some people may harken back to those bygone days, I do not.
It’s important to recognize that mixed-use development in the CBD is consistent with the village’s adopted Master Plan update. From the beginning of the update process, the village facilitated and involved community participation, which was significant, by outreach efforts and numerous public meetings. The updated Master Plan recommends easing some of the restrictions to development in the CBD because of “several key assets,” including the train station, the film center, restaurants and Pace University. It also states that promoting downtown as a place to live could benefit local businesses. (There are currently nine vacant storefronts on Wheeler Avenue alone.)
I don’t mean to imply that the village should just accept a developer’s initial proposal carte blanche. When confronted with a CBD development proposal from a builder, the village should be guided by the development parameters and guidelines specified in the adopted Master Plan update, in accordance with the village’s established planning and development review and approval processes.
Howard Zane
Pleasantville
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